10 Stories of Pro Athletes on Recreational Drugs

Cocaine is a hell of a drug. It can make you feel like you’re virtually indestructible, which makes it a great pick for football players. One of the most visible abusers of Colombian marching powder in the late 70s was Dallas Cowboys strongside linebacker Thomas “Hollywood” Henderson, who already had a reputation for flamboyant antics.

Henderson would keep a liquid inhaler in his pants filled with a mixture of cocaine and water, which he would spray into his mouth throughout the game. Naturally, this made his behavior even more unpredictable, and during a game against the Redskins in 1979 Henderson actually stopped playing for a little while to wave handkerchiefs with the Cowboys logo at the cameras. He was fired from the team the next day.

Thomas “Hollywood” Henderson, 1979

Cocaine is a hell of a drug. It can make you feel like you’re virtually indestructible, which makes it a great pick for football players. One of the most visible abusers of Colombian marching powder in the late 70s was Dallas Cowboys strongside linebacker Thomas “Hollywood” Henderson, who already had a reputation for flamboyant antics.

Henderson would keep a liquid inhaler in his pants filled with a mixture of cocaine and water, which he would spray into his mouth throughout the game. Naturally, this made his behavior even more unpredictable, and during a game against the Redskins in 1979 Henderson actually stopped playing for a little while to wave handkerchiefs with the Cowboys logo at the cameras. He was fired from the team the next day.